Shikoku: Pilgrimage Island, Folklore Heartland, & Japan’s Rural Soul

Shikoku — composed of Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, and Kochi — is Japan’s fourth-largest island and historically the least urbanized of the main islands. Web Japan’s regional overview notes that forests cover more than 80% of Shikoku, and agriculture (mandarins, olives, rice terraces) and fishing long shaped its economy.

The region became spiritually significant through the life and teachings of Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi), founder of Shingon Buddhism. He was born in Sanuki (modern Kagawa), and his legacy shaped the famous Shikoku Henro — Japan’s oldest and most iconic pilgrimage.

The Shikoku 88-Temple Pilgrimage

UNESCO and JNTO describe the 88-temple circuit as a 1,200-year-old sacred journey tracing Kūkai’s footsteps.
The pilgrimage loops 1,200 km around Shikoku’s coasts and mountains and:

• connects remote villages
• preserves pre-modern travel routes
• sustains local monastic and hospitality traditions (o-settai: gifts to pilgrims)

It remains one of the world’s longest circular pilgrimages and an enduring symbol of Japanese spiritual culture.

Feudal & Maritime History

• Tokushima was ruled by the Hachisuka clan and became known for indigo dyeing, later a global fashion export.
• Kagawa (Sanuki) prospered on salt and coastal trade routes through the Seto Inland Sea.
• Ehime centered around Matsuyama Castle and famous Dōgo Onsen, one of Japan’s oldest hot springs.
• Kōchi was the domain of the Yamauchi clan and birthplace of Sakamoto Ryōma, the visionary samurai central to the Meiji Restoration.

Shikoku is thus both a spiritual island and a historical crossroads of maritime trade and reformist ideas.

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Shikoku in the Japanese Entertainment Industry

1. Pilgrimage Dramas & Documentaries

The Henro pilgrimage has inspired many NHK specials, films, and travel programs because:

• it visually represents life’s journey
• rural temples provide cinematic backdrops
• themes of healing, rebirth, and purpose resonate deeply in Japanese storytelling

2. Dōgo Onsen (Ehime) & its influence

Dōgo Onsen Honkan is frequently referenced in film and TV, and strongly influenced the bathhouse aesthetics in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away (while not officially stated by Ghibli, the connection is widely cited in Japanese travel literature).
JNTO describes Dōgo as “Japan’s oldest hot spring town.”

3. Kochi’s Sakamoto Ryōma Legacy

NHK’s Taiga drama Ryōma-den (2010) brought Kochi into mainstream tourism, filming episodes around Katsurahama and Ryoma-related museums.
Ehime, Tokushima and Kagawa also market themselves through local historical heroes and cultural festivals.

4. Anime & Setouchi Inspirations

Shikoku’s rural landscapes and Seto Inland Sea views have inspired:

• Barakamon (Nagasaki-like island, but animated feel resembles Ehime/Kochi villages)
• Yuri!!! On Ice used Setouchi port atmospheres
• Many live-action youth films use rural Shikoku for “rebirth” themes

Shikoku often stands in for the nostalgic or healing version of Japan.

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Overcrowded Spots vs. Meaningful Outskirts

Shikoku is generally less crowded than Kansai, Kanto, or Kyushu — but certain areas attract significant attention.

Overcrowded Spots

1. Dōgo Onsen (Matsuyama, Ehime)

Japan Travel describes Dōgo as one of Japan’s three oldest onsen, and the Honkan attracts heavy foot traffic during weekends and evenings.

2. Naruto Whirlpools (Tokushima)

A top regional attraction. Peak viewing times cause crowding on sightseeing boats and observation decks. JNTO describes Naruto as a globally significant natural phenomenon.

3. Ritsurin Garden (Kagawa)

A National Treasure garden with major tourist flow, especially during autumn foliage and spring illumination periods. JNTO highlights it as Kagawa’s premier cultural spot.

4. Kochi Sunday Market

A 300-year-old open-air market that is beloved but congested around midday.

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Meaningful Outskirts (Historically & Culturally Rich)

1. Iya Valley (Tokushima)

A dramatic gorge with vine bridges (kazurabashi), misty cliffs, and remote villages.
Web Japan describes the Kinki–Shikoku mountainous interior as sparsely populated, and Iya perfectly reflects this — a preserved pocket of old Japan.

2. Shodoshima Island (Kagawa)

Known for:

• Japan’s first olive groves
• Mediterranean-like microclimate
• Traditional soy sauce breweries

The island also hosts quiet pilgrimage sub-routes (mini 88-temple trails).

3. Uchiko & Ozu (Ehime)

Heritage towns with preserved merchant houses and renovated wooden theatres (Uchiko-za). Perfect for historical film settings without large crowds.

4. Ashizuri Cape (Kochi)

A stark, spiritual landscape at the southern tip of Shikoku, home to the 38th temple of the Henro route (Kongōfukuji). Coastal pilgrim lodges offer peaceful experiences far from urban tourism.

5. Hidden Henro Temples

While temples 1, 23, 51, and 88 receive heavy pilgrim traffic, many remote temples such as:

• Temple 12 (Shōsanji)
• Temple 45 (Iwayaji)
• Temple 66 (Unpenji)

are located deep in the mountains and allow authentic encounters with the spiritual Shikoku of the past.

Sources

• Web Japan – Regions of Japan: Shikoku (forests, agriculture, fishing economy)
  https://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/02RegionsofJap.pdf
• UNESCO – Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (context for Kūkai & Shikoku’s spiritual role)
  https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1142/
• Japan Travel (JNTO) – Shikoku Pilgrimage overview
  https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/
  (all UK-region destination pages must be listed in sources per your request)
• Japan Travel (JNTO) – Dogo Onsen
  https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/
  (regional information appears through the UK branch site)
• Japan Travel (JNTO) – Naruto Whirlpools
  https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/
• Japan Travel (JNTO) – Ritsurin Garden
  https://www.japan.travel/en/uk/